


Mąʼii

by Ghostlyronin



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Basically, M/M, also, and i am very tired, aside from what is abstractly mentioned, but there's not really any gore, can't help but think, genji falls for the bad boy, genji was essentially pampered for criminal life, genji was taught about honor and shit, i'll fix it eventually, it is 2am, it makes sense when you see it, lol, mccree fought tooth and nail for it, mccree was taught that thinking like that would get him killed, mostly in descriptions, tell me what i did wrong, vague discriptions of violence, you guys can beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 01:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10478994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostlyronin/pseuds/Ghostlyronin
Summary: Blackwatch agent Jesse McCree was a proud, feral beast of a human. How foolish was it that Overwatch decided to trust him?That Genji wanted to?





	

 Jesse McCree was an intimidating presence, and even Genji could feel it.  
  


Whereas Genji was more an Akita; bred and trained for criminal life as a possible successor for a criminal throne, McCree was like a feral Coyote; willing to trick and kill whoever he had to to get what he wanted, and so, so used to not getting it at all.  
 

They both came from criminal backgrounds, yet Genji had the distinct feeling that McCree was the kind of man his father would have actively attempted to keep away from his sons. The kind of morals and desires that were undesirable in a criminal empire of such history as the Shimadas. The willingness to stab someone in the back in the time it took for them to blink, for no other reason than the temporary rage that came with drink; constantly thinking of oneself, ignoring those personally deemed unworthy; and that wild, un-tamable need for freedom.

   
Yes, Sojiro would have never allowed Jesse McCree near either of his sons.  
 

Sure, the cowboy was capable of pretending to have common social graces and blending in with a crowd as it suited him, but something gave him away. People knew not to get too close, lest they be bitten.  
 

The only exception to the rule seemed to be the Blackwatch Commander, and even then he never fully let his guard down around the young rookie he had picked up. McCree went out of his way to please the Commander; jumping when told, submitting to authority when appropriate, following certain rules to a T. But Reyes always made sure his back was never to the feral cowboy, always kept him in his line of sight.  
 

“But don't you trust him?” Genji had asked once, crouched next to the Commander on a balcony. “You gave him this chance, after all. Rescued him.”  
 

Reyes had sighed heavily, shoulders sagging as he struggled to find a way to explain what went on in the minds of men as wild as McCree. As wild as Reyes himself used to be.  
 

“I offered him his life in exchange for his freedom. Men like him, they don't _ever_ give up their freedom.” He straightened out and looked Genji in the eye, turning his full attention to the ninja. “The only reason he accepted my deal was for the time to find a way to escape. He has a subdermal chip implanted, and he is never, under any circumstances, allowed to know where it is. He'd cut off the offending limb if need be to get rid of it, and that boy is collared for a reason. Men like him, they'll pretend to love someone they despise for the sole purpose of getting close enough to slaughter them.”  
 

Reyes shook his head and huffed out a laugh before kneeling in front of Genji and grabbing him by the shoulders.  
 

“Jesse McCree has no connection to Overwatch other than we saved him from a prison cell, and there's _no_ guarantee he considers that enough of a reason to not seek revenge on us for killing his family.”  
 

So Genji had kept his distance.  
 

He watched as Reinhardt attempted to make McCree feel as at home as he could whenever they met.  
 

He watched as Amari began to teach McCree how to make decent tea and how to knit.  
 

He watched as Morrison tried his hardest to prove that McCree did not belong in Overwatch.  
 

He watched as Angela got braver and braver about treating the cowboy.  
 

He watched as, despite his warnings, Reyes himself one day trusted McCree enough to turn his back on the rookie.  
 

And things changed.  
 

McCree was still intimidating, still had that wildness about him, but it appeared he was becoming less feral.  
 

He openly cavorted with Reinhardt, showed up to tea time with Amari early, routinely proved Morrison wrong, smiled more at Angela and allowed her to treat him for even the smallest cuts, and improved his performance under the training regimen Reyes had given him.  
 

What threw Genji off was when he had also begun to greet the cyborg, going out of his way to include him in training exercises, sitting next to him in the cafeteria, and attempting to start conversations.  
 

As much as the ninja longed for friendship, he was unable to tell is it was another ruse to gain trust or a genuine attempt. It had been so long since he'd had someone he could place his confidence in, and much like his intimidation, McCree also had the air of someone trustworthy once it was earned.  
 

When he began to lose sleep over it, Genji knew something had to be done.  
 

So he broke into Angela's office and drew up McCree's medical files.  
 

It was the left arm.  
 

“It's in your left arm.”  
 

McCree stared at him, eyes wide.  
 

“Your chip is in your left arm. Somewhere below the elbow, but there's always a risk of travel for technology that small.”  
 

There.  
 

Lips turned in a crooked smirk, eyes half-lidded and mischevious, body posture finally, _finally_ , relaxed. There was no _suppressed_ air of wildness, because he wasn't trying to hide it anymore.  
 

Clearly telegraphed for all to see was a man who had tortured, killed, stolen, lied, and cheated nearly his entire life. A man with morals that only applied when convenient. A thief who took what he wanted and left a trail of fire, blood, and tears in his wake.  
 

“ _Well_ then. Thank y'kindly, Genji, ye've been a real pal.”  
 

The real Jesse McCree.  
 

Genji said nothing as he watched the man turn away and whistle a jaunty tune, heading for the edge of the compound.  
 

Heading out of Genji's life.  
 

So Genji turned around and walked in the opposite direction.  
 

Now he knew who the real McCree was and, in turn, knew what his intentions were. There was no point in dwelling on a lie, and the ninja couldn't bring himself to be angry at the cowboy for the act.  
 

He understood the need for freedom, and wished McCree well in his travels.  
 

At least one of them could leave.  
 

It took only hours for the alarms to go off.  
 

It took them three days to finally catch up to the signal, and Genji was not surprised at all when instead of finding McCree, they found a severed arm.  
 

After a week, Reyes was taking it especially hard. He had known, after all, and he had still allowed the cowboy under his skin.  
 

After two weeks, Genji stood in Reyes' office as the man handed him his assignment, looking twenty years older as he did so.  
 

“Make it quick.”  
 

Genji nodded respectfully, mindful of how painful this had to be for the man.  
 

Ordering the execution of someone you had once considered your friend was never easy.  
 

' _I wonder if Hanzo argued back when they gave him his orders._ '  
 

He knew his older brother hadn't.  
 

(He knew his older brother most likely had.)  
 

Just as Genji's hand touched the access-panel, the holographic screen on Reyes' desk popped to life and facetime was forcibly started. Both Reyes and Genji turned their full attention to the screen to see the impossible.  
 

Jesse McCree, beat to hell and back, was grinning at them.  
 

“Well shit, Commander, looks like ya were right.” McCrees voice was tinny and very, very tired. “Bargin' in guns a'blazin when lookin fer moles ain't exactly tha _best_ way ta get things done, but it worked.”  
 

Reyes stared in shock as his computer was updated with pictures, information, and all the evidence he would need to have the spies dealt with.  
 

“McCree where the _fuck_ have you been?”  
 

The cowboy laughed and leaned back, the hospital bed behind him becoming more apparent.  
 

“Well, Currently I'm at tha Navajo Health Foundation. Needed a coupl'a stitches an' Angela's tender mercies weren't exactly available.”  
 

“You know what he meant.”  
 

McCree paused.  
 

“Genji? Well hell, what're you doin' there?”  
 

“McCree.”  
 

“Alright, alright. Blackwatch knew we had a few spies, but couldn' exactly get t'gether tha investigation needed. So I left fer a bit ta git that situated. Sucks I had ta cut off my own arm, but it is what it is.”  
 

The Blackwatch Commander let out a sound that sounded like a suppressed scream, leaning forward and burying his face in his hands. Genji walked around so that McCree could see him as well.  
 

“Are you safe to move to a secure location?”  
 

The cowboy grinned, his wildness showing again.  
 

“Sweetheart, I _doubt_ they'd be able ta hold me if I wanted ta go.”  
 

“ _Don't you dare move from that location_ or so help me Jesse McCree _I will see you hang._ ” Reyes snarled, slamming his hands on his desk hard enough to knock his favorite coffee mug to the ground. “Agent Shimada, your orders have changed. Arrange a medical extraction and retrieve Agent McCree.”  
 

Genji nodded, backing away to give the man some space, but pausing to look at the screen again.  
 

“I will see you in a few hours, Jesse.”  
 

Jesse's grin turned into a smile, soft at the edges and lazy.  
 

“See ya in a bit, darlin'.”  
 

Nodding, he turned and calmly walked out the room; it was time to take his coyote home.

**Author's Note:**

> Coyote (Navajo: mąʼii) is an irresponsible and trouble-making character and he is one of the most important and revered characters in Navajo mythology.
> 
> I definitely feel like; although Genji was raised in a criminal empire, he was still very much spoiled. McCree was like the more rough-and-tumble anything-goes type of criminal.
> 
> Where Genji was a prince, McCree was a streetrat.
> 
> Also, Gabriel refers to Deadlock as Jesse's "family" because when you're in a gang, that's what they are. They may be total assholes, but they're family for as long as you or they live.
> 
> Assuming, of course, that leaving means the death of one or the other.


End file.
